Best Single Bevel Broadhead?

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Dec 27, 2023
After running into some issue with lighter arrows and mechanical broadheads this year, I've jumped on the FOC train and seen really great success so far. I have been using Simmons Shark 165gr cut on contact head and hod no further kinetic energy issues; however, Id like to move to single bevels. In your experience, what is the best single bevel broadhead and why? I am willing to consider different eights, but at the moment Im thinking 150gr is probably my minimum. Thanks!
 
I’m a fan of Grizzly Stick Maasai but they don’t make them in 150 anymore. I really like the looks of the iron will’s and have heard nothing but great things about them.
 
I've been shooting 150 gr Cutthroat single bevels (1.125" cut, standard steel) for several years and have been happy with them. Match the bevel direction to your fletching direction (i.e., right offset/helical fletching = right bevel head).
 
Not to hijack the thread but what is the advantage of a single bevel head? I've read the Iron Will theory it cuts as it penerates but is there more I'm missing?
Theres a couple of things I have in mind that I consider advantages; those being the ability to carry a sharper and longer lasting edge as well as continuing to spin while cutting because of force only being applied in one direction. Evidence suggests that you can see one full rotation while cutting out of a single bevel per 16 inches and arguably cause that much more damage. Obviously, not to say a double bevel of any other kind can't get it done, but as a personal preference its where I have desired to move.
 
Theres a couple of things I have in mind that I consider advantages; those being the ability to carry a sharper and longer lasting edge as well as continuing to spin while cutting because of force only being applied in one direction. Evidence suggests that you can see one full rotation while cutting out of a single bevel per 16 inches and arguably cause that much more damage. Obviously, not to say a double bevel of any other kind can't get it done, but as a personal preference its where I have desired to move.
I appreciate the response. I haven't done much research on them other than what iron will has posted on their site for them. I'll have to look more into them thanks.
 
Not to hijack the thread but what is the advantage of a single bevel head? I've read the Iron Will theory it cuts as it penerates but is there more I'm missing?
The asymmetric bevel causes the head to continue rotating as it penetrates. This results in a corkscrew-shaped wound channel and a larger exit hole (compared to a double bevel head of the same size/shape). Some folks (mainly the Ashby crowd) also tout the ability of a single bevel head to more effectively split bone apart. The downside is that the edge on a single bevel head is more fragile and prone to chipping/bending/curling than a double bevel edge.
 
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I’ve been shooting grizzlystik massai for a couple years and they finally got a decent test last week with a whitetail doe I shot quartering towards. The arrow passed through her opposite hip and when I boned out that quarter it had cut the femur in two. The pic of the bone is exactly how I found it. The broadhead had the chipping you see and a wobble when spun, but overall held up well and did its job. I shot through a caribou leg bone a few years ago with an iron will SB125 and it had a little more damage than this head. But bigger animal and I’ve read that caribou bones are harder. Not sure if that’s true or not.
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The asymmetric bevel causes the head to continue rotating as it penetrates. This results in a corkscrew-shaped wound channel and a larger exit hole (compared to a double bevel head of the same size/shape). Some folks (mainly the Ashby crowd) also tout the ability of a single bevel head to more effectively split bone apart
I appreciate the response. So would it be a better broadhead than a double bevel of the same size/shape?
 
I’ve been shooting grizzlystik massai for a couple years and they finally got a decent test last week with a whitetail doe I shot quartering towards. The arrow passed through her opposite hip and when I boned out that quarter it had cut the femur in two. The pic of the bone is exactly how I found it. The broadhead had the chipping you see and a wobble when spun, but overall held up well and did its job. I shot through a caribou leg bone a few years ago with an iron will SB125 and it had a little more damage than this head. But bigger animal and I’ve read that caribou bones are harder. Not sure if that’s true or not.
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That's awesome. Did the broadhead contact anything outside the deer like a tree, rock or stick in the dirt? Wondering if the chipping is solely from the bone in the animal.
 
The cutthroats are appealing because of their price, but they have a terrible ferrule shape/transition toward the back where it meets the arrow. At least the 125gr heads do, the heavier heads may be different.
But that’s my only criticism of anything Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear. They have an awesome shop and Tom is a great guy and a great coach and I’m happy to hand him my money and will go out of my way to get another shooting leason.
 
That's awesome. Did the broadhead contact anything outside the deer like a tree, rock or stick in the dirt? Wondering if the chipping is solely from the bone in the animal.
Not that I know of, the arrow was laying on top of the ground and not much rock around there. The head in this pic was from a shot on a whitetail buck that was quartered to, didn’t hit any big bones and was burried in the ground. From my experience so far you can expect some level of chipping when you bury one in the ground. But more often than not they’re small enough to be sharpened out of the edge. IMG_2868.jpeg
 
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I’ve used them, and believe in some of the theory. Definitely corkscrew through the animals. But with broadheads, everything is a trade off. My experience as been poor blood trails, leading to loss of animals on fatal shots, (yes it can happen with any broadheads). This Actually led me down the road of training a tracking dog, after a SB shot.
You just have to try them. Come up with your own opinion.
 
Kayuga Pilot Cuts are one I've had success with. They're a fairly expensive head here in Australia but I imagine they're competitively priced with the American heads. If you want 150gn you can either order the 150gn Pilot Cuts or order 125gn heads and order wide bleeders to get them to 150gn.

I've only killed a couple of animals with Crafted Archery broadheads so far but they're another Australian head that is starting to get some recognition over in America. They might be worth a look as well. again, priced fairly well. They have a steep angle so might not penetrate as effectively as a Kayuga or something similar, but they're very solidly constructed and would be hard to break.
 
Check out the Kudu Point broadheads. They come with and without a bleeder. They fly very true and similar to a field point.
I'll second this. They are not too pricey, sharpen rather easily, are very tough and fly great.

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I think the benefits of single bevel are often overstated and that there's not a hair's breadth of difference between them in terms of actual performance on animals.
I agree with this too. Don't get me wrong, I have had great success with single bevel heads. But I do not think it's the magic broadhead that will make an animal die any faster.

IMO, I like 2 blade/bleeder broadheads, have to stay sharp, be easy to sharpen, fly straight. I can get the double bevel sharper than the single. I haven't had a failure with either.

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